Jewel's Revenge
by Savagehunger47
Summary: The destruction of the jewel did not come with the happily-ever-after with Inuyasha Kagome wanted. Death and heartbreak is what her life became after the jewel banished Inuyasha and her out into the world. AR/CU. SesshomaruxKagome
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I make any money from this fanfic. However, I do own all the original peeps I have chosen to invade the Inuyasha world.

Jewel's Revenge

Prologue

Separation. Cast back into the future to live her life as it should have been lived, before she'd fallen down the well. Finishing high school and moping around at home until the well reopened, and she could jump through time once again. Making the decision to live in the past, and making that time period her future.

Being around Sango and Miroku. Watching them play with their children. Waving goodbye to Shippo as he went off to train his magic with other fox demons. Delighting in the joy Rin felt when she received gifts from her surrogate father, Sesshomaru.

She and Inuyasha being together…

Well, if anything, the last part of her dream came true. However, the two of them living a 'happily-ever-after' life… Now, that didn't happen.

After destroying Naraku, making the jewel whole again, and then getting sucked into the jewel… Hell, every battle before was a vacation compared to what they had gone through—was still going through.

There had been no going home after they completed the jewel. The moment Inuyasha and she had defeated the jewel's 'mind games', and she had made her wish, the both of them had been cast out— _flung out_ —into the world without thought or care of where they'd end up.

And _where_ they had landed…

The monsters they had fought. The evil they had destroyed… They hadn't been prepared for any of it. The trials of Naraku, and what he had put them through, had been a drop in a bucket in comparison to the horrors they'd seen.

The girl she had once been. The 'boy' Inuyasha had been… They died a long time ago. The death of her childhood more traumatizing than that of Inu's. He had experienced hatred from the time he understood what the emotion was.

She… She hadn't, not truly. Not ever.

As a priestess, she'd been feared and awed. She'd been looked down upon and sneered at. She knew racism, faced discrimination, stood up against prejudice assholes, chewed out sexist pricks, but never had she been truly hated. Fear disguised as hatred she'd seen, yes, but not hated.

Not hated…

But that emotion was now a part of her life. Hated because of the color of her skin. Hated for the color of her hair. Hated because of her power… And, forgive her for this thought, but hated like Inuyasha was because he was a half-breed, if he could still be called such.

At first, they had believed the jewel was all knowing. But that wasn't right, because it was a creation of man—well, a wo _man_ —and thus imperfect and its knowledge limited to what Midoriko knew.

But, then they got to thinking about all the demons in the jewel. The way the jewel could be influenced by their negative powers. It was stupid to think the jewel didn't use what they knew, too. Not that it matters anymore. Debating what the jewel might have been before they destroyed it was just a way to pass the time for them. Took their minds off the fact that they were fighting their way to get back home.

And that's what they had been doing for more years than she could remember. Fighting. Running. Surviving…

Who knew the threat that Naraku had been, would have been the least of what they would have experienced…the least in the horrors they'd witness.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Kagome looked over her shoulder and stared at the faint outline of the island so far away. The wind sprayed mists of salt water on her face, cooling her from the sun's scorching heat. Turning her head back around, she focused on her breaths. Breathing deeply and exhaling slowly as she robotically dipped the ores into the dark sea, propelling them forward.

They were so close, closer than they'd ever been to home before. And they needed to get home. They dared not step onto soil that wasn't Japan's, because the times they had… Well, they never had the best of luck since the jewel threw them out into the world.

She couldn't remember how long they'd been in the boat. Days blending into nights, blending into days. Before a storm had just about ripped their boat in half, the passage of time hadn't been so depressing or lonely.

Now, to keep themselves afloat, they shielded the boat to keep it together. One going into a deep meditative state to maintain optimal concentration. One rowed the boat, fished, and, using as limited power as possible, purified seawater to make it drinkable—only she could do that because of her holy powers—, and the other slept to rejuvenate themselves, all so they could survive.

Every six hours.

Shield. Row. Sleep. Change shifts, repeat. Over and over again…

Kagome had stopped counting how many shifts she'd done, having lost count after…weeks? Months? There was never a day that she wasn't exhausted. She couldn't even escape through insanity—well, no, she had gone insane once. However, her dreams kept her mind from completely breaking down… Dreams of a palace in the clouds. Of falling through the sky without hope of landing.

"Kagome."

Kagome blinked rapidly at the sudden appearance of Akinlana's dark, exotic, face. Worried, red-tinged, hazel-colored eyes stared at her. Long tawny hair whipped around the demoness's lean, scantily leather clad, body.

"You can stop now and sleep," Akinlana said softly in her smooth, thick South African accent. "I will 'wake' Inuyasha so he may take your place."

It took a few moments before Kagome's sluggish mind could comprehend Akinlana's words, and for her arms to force itself to stop rowing. "I'll wait," Kagome said, her voice raspy from disuse. "Just in case."

There were only a couple minutes between shifts when they were all awake at the same time. Maybe that was the reason why Kagome hadn't cracked under the pressure of being alone yet.

Akinlana stared at her, concern still written plainly across the wild inu's face, but she didn't object. "Just in case," she agreed.

If Kagome had said anything else, other than what she had said, she knew Akinlana would have bullied her into going to sleep. However, they couldn't afford mistakes, so Kagome didn't plan on staying awake for more than a minute or two. They'd used up all their chances, Lady Luck having turned her back on them a long time ago.

Kagome turned and watched as Akinlana stuffed her face with dried fish, and wash it down with half a waterskin of purified water, before she made her way to Inuyasha's side at the front of the boat. Akinlana sat next to him and slowly expanded her vibrant-red yoki over his. Whispering his name, she trailed the back of her fingertips up and down his cheek, in a lover's caress. White eyelashes fluttered for a few seconds before opening. Blinking at Akinlana, Inuyasha exhaled wearily before drawing in his yoki. His blood-red shield sinking back into his body with practiced ease and control.

Inuyasha cupped Akinlana's cheek, nuzzled the side of her face, then tenderly kissed her lips. She smiled at him, and whispered a few words too soft for Kagome to hear, before closing her eyes—settling in to prepare herself to sink into a coma-like meditation.

Inuyasha stood and stretched, groaning as his back cracked loudly, after instinctively scanning around for threats…not that there were any. They were in the middle of the ocean. The only threat was the rickety dinghy they were floating in.

Kagome smiled in greeting when Inuyasha's golden eyes finally met hers.

"You should be sleeping," Inuyasha scolded. He stepped over the gaping hole in the middle of the boat and kneeled in front of her.

"I should," Kagome agreed as Inuyasha looked her over.

"You're getting weaker," he said. "Akinlana and I can—"

"Do nothing," Kagome said. Standing, she moved to the back and curled into the warm blankets Akinlana awoke from. "I am the only one that can purify seawater to make it drinkable. But, it's not as bad as it used to be. The more I do it, the less amount of reiki I use, remember?"

Kagome forced herself to keep her eyes open—wanted to talk more, starved as she was for human/demon contact.

"You need more sleep. You're only human," Inuyasha grumbled under his breath. Grabbing the ores, he began to row at a strong, but steady pace.

 _Am I?_ Kagome pressed her fingertips against her lips, an action not lost to Inuyasha. But he remained silent. What could he say that hadn't already been said? Humans didn't have fangs. They didn't have claws, smell a scent from miles away, or see with perfect clarity in the night. The only thing they did know was that she wasn't a demon. It would have been too simple if she had been.

"The way things are; this is as perfect as it will get. Don't change it, not while the end is close enough to see," Kagome mumbled, losing the battle to keep her eyes open. "We are almost there…"

"And I'll make damn sure we get there before you wake up."

Kagome smiled. It was a possibility, especially with Inuyasha manning the ores. But, before it was time she woke in six hours? Maybe he could do it, but she would not hope for it.

No… She had little hope left in the world. She would rather use what she had left on something else… Something small with red hair and little pawed feet.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Inuyasha stared at Kagome's face with growing concern, and he wasn't the only one. His mate, Akinlana, had whispered her worries to him, too. Kagome was changing again, and it was all his fault.

He held back his shock when he had looked into her eyes. Eyes that were no longer… human. She expelled more power on this damn boat than he and Akinlana put together, and it had made her stronger. But, because of her they had water to drink, and more fish to eat—attracted to her spiritual power more than his or Akinlana's predatory yoki.

Because of her they were alive…and because of them she was growing weaker. He did not know if she knew this or not, but Kagome never fully withdrew her powers when she slept or when it was her turn to row the damn boat. Akinlana and he could still feel her power wrapped around them—protecting them. Even now he could feel her reiki surrounding him, poking at him, checking to see if he was alright.

And it pissed him off.

He should have taken them to land a long-ass time ago, but…

Inuyasha cursed and began rowing faster. They needed to get back home, overriding the voice warning him that to do so would sap his strength faster. He had to get Kagome back to Nippon. He had to try to undo what he had done, and hope the one demon he knew to be the most powerful in the world could change her back to who she used to be… or, at least, _what_ she used to be.

There was no giving back the innocence that had been taken from her. They had been through too much shit—seen too much shit—to go back to who they used to be.

Inuyasha stopped rowing to remove his red fire-rat robe. He tossed it over Kagome, pausing for a moment when his sleeve slipped up his arm and his purple demon markings were uncovered.

Even he had changed…

He no longer became human on the night of the new moon. At first, he transformed back to being a half-breed on those nights…but those nights were long gone. He couldn't remember how many new moons had passed that he hadn't changed back to the half-demon he once was. If he had Tessaiga his demon blood would never have had consumed him. If the jewel hadn't exacted its revenge, he and Kagome would never have had to do the _things_ they had had to do to survive.

If only…

When they had noticed her first change, they had celebrated more than they had worried. She had claws to defend herself. Fangs to bite and tear with. She became his right-hand, his comrade in battle, more so than she had been before. She said she had evolved because of the constant danger they were in, but it was because of what he had done to her that had caused those changes. But she never blamed him. Never.

Just like she wouldn't blame him if he told her just how much time had passed… Even when he had completely lost himself to his demon side, his beast had been aware of everything. Every day, night, month, and year that passed. He thought about telling her. But, as the years passed from one to ten, then ten turned into thirty…and thirty to a hundred, he couldn't find the courage to do so. He didn't want to see that look of despair in her eyes, the knowledge that their friends were all gone.

His lovely mate told him that their Kagome was dangerously smart—she being educated from the future made her intelligence a burnable offence in just about every land they'd visited—and she probably realized the passage of time, regardless of her going insane and shit. But she never gave any indication that she knew.

Pulling the ores in, Inuyasha wiped his brow and grabbed one of the many leather water pouches secured on the side of the boat. He pulled the cork out and took a long gulp.

"Tastes like it came from a mountain stream, doesn't it?"

Inuyasha recorked the water bag before turning his head to look at Akinlana. "You should be meditating."

Akinlana snorted. "I know how to maintain a shield."

"Yeah? Then how come this is the first time you've talked to me?" Inuyasha asked.

"Maybe it is a bit difficult," Akinlana mumbled.

Inuyasha turned back around and looked at Kagome, before looking at Akinlana again. "She won't last much longer," he softly said.

"No, she will not…"

Inuyasha tucked a lock of hair behind his elven ear. "Even though we are safe from our enemy, she's still on guard."

"Maybe we are only safe from our enemy because she is constantly on guard. The great demon is powerful. He will not rest until she is at his side again."

It was Inuyasha's turn to snort. "That fucker is no _Daiyokai._ You just wait. Once we get to Nippon you will truly feel the power of a great demon."

"Then take me to meet this _Daiyokai._ I have heard you and Kagome whisper about him in awe so many times," Akinlana said, grinning.

"I don't whisper about that bastard with awe," Inuyasha growled, turning back around, snubbing his mate.

"Aw," Akinlana cooed, "do not feel anger, my mate. It is pride to have such a fearsome sibling. If they had lived, my pack would have howled with joy for the honor of having one such as you taking me as your mate."

To hear Akinlana talking about her pack erased Inuyasha's annoyance with the female. His lovely mate hardly spoke of them. Kagome and he had been wandering aimlessly for many years before stumbling upon Akinlana, his wild inu from Sub-Saharan Africa…or, at least, that's what Kagome told him. His mate had been all kinds of fucked up. Her pack murdered by humans with strange reiki-like powers. He honestly thought she wouldn't last the night, but she proved him wrong. His mate was strong.

They had fed her, healed her, then made her a part of their pack when the crazy inu wouldn't leave them alone. Seven years later he made her his mate. By then, Kagome and he had romantically parted ways years ago. Ninety-nine years, to be exact.

"Your island is in sight," Akinlana said, shaking him back to the present. "Do you really think we can make it before she wakes up? The sea is rough today. The current strong."

Inuyasha dipped the ores back into the water and began to row.

"I will take that as a 'yes'." Akinlana chuckled.

Whether or not he could get them there before Kagome woke up wasn't the problem. The issue was that he would be too weak to defend his pack once they landed. Akinlana would be awake, but drained of yoki. They'd have only Kagome to protect them, and that was something he wanted to avoid as much as possible.

She'd come a long way from the fumbling, untrained teen she used to be. Kagome had proven to be capable of killing to protect their pack…and she's had to kill many, many times. But it came with a price.

Before, she'd killed demons when they'd hunted for shards, but Sango, Miroku, or he had always done the bulk of the killing. If only he had known what killing so many evil humans, demons, and _other_ _things_ would do to her, he would have stopped her. Because the stain on her soul… The darkness of each kill was what he wanted to avoid. Because, the unwilling purification process to remove that stain—that darkness—is what he did not want her to go through. Not again. Not ever again.

He couldn't bear to witness her writhing in agony, her mouth stretched wide with silent screams. He'd seen it too many times.

Far too many times…


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Waves breaking against the shore woke Kagome. The sound so alien that it confused her for a moment, scared her. Her eyes shot open, her wickedly curved blades were in her hands before she jerked up to her knees.

Inuyasha sat slouched over. She could hear his heart's rapid beating over his labored breaths. But, it was the other sounds that drove Kagome to her feet, her own heart thundering in her chest. There was just so much noise…

A screeching from above had Kagome dropping her weapons and slapping her hands over her ears.

"Kagome, it's alright," Inuyasha said.

"Birds," Kagome said in wonderment. She hadn't seen a bird in… God, she couldn't remember how long it had been. Before the boat had been damaged and they had to shield it, seagulls would fly around them. Land on the boat to rest. But once Inuyasha and Akinlana's shields went up, they had been too afraid to fly anywhere near them. By the time it was her turn to shield, they'd been too far out to sea for birds to be flying around.

"Yeah, it seems so weird, don' it?" Inuyasha smiled.

"A-A little," Kagome said.

"Take a deep breath. Focus on bringing how much you hear down a notch, and relax," Inuyasha said.

If Inuyasha had said it in another tone other than that of a drill sergeant, Kagome probably would have gotten pissed. She knew what she had to do. But, her friend knew her well. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Kagome did as he ordered. It took longer than it annoyingly should have, but she did it. Her hands trembled as she hesitantly lowered them to her sides.

"We need to find a den where we can recuperate," Inuyasha said, but the dog continued to sit there with the ores clenched in his fists.

Still a bit shaken, Kagome bent down and retrieved her blades, slipping them into the hidden holsters behind her back. Akinlana sat at the front of the boat, still shielding.

"You overdid it." Kagome frowned. "I'll scout—"

"Do nothing unless I've ordered you to," Inuyasha all but snarled.

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "You can't even stand, and you expect me to listen to you?"

Inuyasha growled and, to Kagome's amusement, stood without falling over. However, she refrained from commenting on how he used the ores as crutches to keep upright. There was only so far she could push his leadership before he truly got pissed.

"You will stay with the pack, that's an order, Kagome," Inuyasha growled. "If you leave, Akinlana and I will be unprotected. We're too drained to defend ourselves from an attack."

There was no arguing that bit of truth, so Kagome trampled her need to run on solid ground. And yet… "This isn't because you'll think I'll kill someone, is it?" Kagome asked.

"Yes and no," Inuyasha wearily replied. "I'm fucking tired, Kagome. I need a full fucking day's rest—all of us do. If you go off and some shit happens, because you have to mess some assholes up, I'm not gonna have the power or the strength to stop you if you go psycho."

She hated when he was right, because it had happened before. Her going 'psycho'. "Do you know whose territory we are in?"

"No. All I can fucking smell is salt and fish," he said as Kagome watched him make his way to Akinlana's side. Inuyasha tenderly kissed his mate's lips, calling her name.

Kagome looked away. If it hadn't been because of her, they would have had a better life.

"Do not think foolish thoughts, Kagome."

Kagome lifted her gaze to meet Akinlana's. "I'm not—"

"Of course you are." Akinlana grinned. "You cannot get away from us. You are mine, remember?"

"She's not yours!" Inuyasha growled, jerking away from his mate.

"Yes, she is!" Akinlana growled back.

"Don't fuck with me on this again, Akinlana. She's mine!"

Nose-to-nose, the couple growled. Their lover-like touches turning into aggressive pushing and shoving.

"I'm both of yours. Just like the both of you are mine," Kagome said, too excited about being back in Japan to enjoy what could be an enjoyable fight if she left them alone. "Now can we get out of this boat?"

Not waiting for their response, Kagome crouched low and with a small leap cleared the shoreline and landed silently on the balls of her feet at the edge of the forest…then promptly fell over, and continued to fall over every time she tried to stand back up.

"Wha…?"

"Get up slowly, Kagome," Akinlana called out.

"Getting up is not the problem. Staying up is," Kagome mumbled. She knew they'd been out at sea for a long time, but to have this much difficulty walking on land again…

"Fuck. I didn't think it would be this bad," Inuyasha said, appearing unsteadily at her side.

"At least you're still on your feet," Kagome said, happy to see Akinlana on her butt behind Inuyasha. And behind her, all of their meager belongings and provisions. Kagome really didn't want to look at another fish for the rest of her life. Now that they were on land, they could hunt for fresh meat. Her mouth watered just thinking about it.

However, Kagome's face heated at the same time with embarrassment. In her haste to get out of the damn boat, she'd made Akinlana and Inuyasha bring their bags. As the one that had just woken up, thus making her the strongest at the moment, it should have been her that took up that burden.

"Shit," Inuyasha hissed. "Looks like we'll need to add on time to get our land-legs back. We find a cave—anything, really—that'll serve as an acceptable den. We bunk down and not come out until we're in peak condition. And absolutely no"—Inuyasha glared at Kagome— "splitting up once we're rested. We stick together."

"What about food?" Akinlana asked. "I do not want to continue eating fish. We need red meat. What kind of animals do you have on this strange land?"

Kagome voiced her agreement, but Inuyasha shot them both down quickly.

"We finish what we got, and drink what we got," Inuyasha said, using a nearby tree to keep from falling. "Once it's all gone, then we'll decide what to do next."

It took a few minutes before Akinlana and she could stand, but, like a well-oiled machine, they located an abandoned fox den, dug it out to make it bigger and less crowded. Without Akinlana's shield, the boat literally fell apart and sank, having been pushed back out to sea when they'd leapt from it.

With the last bit of yoki she had left, Akinlana removed all of their clumsy tracks from the forest floor while Kagome purified the air, removing all traces of their scent in the area. Crawling into the den, Kagome heaved a tired sigh as she curled up into a ball, lying her head on Akinlana's stomach. Inuyasha curled around the both of them.

Closing her eyes, Kagome dreamed of clouds and the beautiful female that lived within them.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sesshomaru gazed at the headstones of those of his brother's pack— _his_ pack. The Demon Slayer and her chosen mate, the perverted monk, Miroku.

He had kept them alive as long as he could. Making sure they had enough to eat, a sturdy hut to sleep in, healers to care for them if they got sick, and placed Inuyasha's forest under his protection to warn lesser demons away.

And yet…they were only human. Regardless of their strength, time was an enemy he could not fight. And so he watched them die from old age. First the monk, and then a year later, the Slayer. After their passing, he commissioned a headstone for the miko. The Slayer's brother died honorably in battle during his fifty-fifth year of life with the fire-cat, Kirara, perishing at his side. Then…Rin. She lived the longest at the age of ninety-two. Demons lesser than he, praised him for keeping his human 'pet' alive for so long.

He refused to make a monument for his brother. There was still a chance Inuyasha was alive. Until he saw his brother's body, or the scouts he'd sent back brought news of Inuyasha's demise, he would not tempt fate by placing a headstone with his name on it.

The decision to mark a resting place for the miko had especially been hard. She had been…special. However, humans only lived so long. Placing a headstone for her, next to the monk and Slayer, had been the only comfort he had been able to give Shippo and Rin.

She had earned his admiration. Many demons from all around came to pay their respects. The only miko who protected demons. Who took a young fox-kit as if he was one of her own. Protected him. Loved him.

Strange miko, indeed.

Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kagome had become part of his pack long before he had joined their group to defeat Naraku. Now the young fox-kit was the only surviving member of his pack, and every year since Rin died eight years ago, on the anniversary of her death, Shippo would disappear for two months. He had allowed the kit his space to morn, just as he had needed it. He had given Shippo a date in which he needed to be back to the village. However, the kit never returned. He should have been here waiting for him.

"We will continue to keep watch for Shippo, my lord. The moment we know something; we will send word immediately."

Sesshomaru spared a glance to the Slayer and monk's great, great grandson. With a barely noticeable nod to the young man, he turned away and walked silently into the forest. His yoki swirling dangerously around him once he was out of sight of the humans.

Shippo had grown considerably in the last hundred years, but he was still a child— _his child_. Woe to any who may have harmed his kit.

Shippo raced through the forest. Stopping every so often to scent the wind and listen, making sure he was not being pursued. This was the first time he'd left the safety of Sesshomaru's territory, but he wasn't scared. Having been trained by the Western Lord, there wasn't much that could send him screaming.

But, as an officially announced member of Sesshomaru's pack, crossing into the Southern territory without an invite was an offence that could get him killed or worse…held hostage until Sesshomaru paid—but, more like kill—to get him back. Even so, he wasn't about to turn back from his set course.

He didn't care if he was just dreaming, if it was wishful thinking, or because another year passed since Rin died. He had smelt her, had scented her reiki in the wind. No priestess smelled the same, and even though the holy power was not _exactly_ like hers, it had been close enough to send his heart racing and his feet running.

He had been on his way back to wait for Sesshomaru—should have been at the village yesterday waiting—, having been wandering the edges of the Western territories for the past two months. Staying in the village without Rin…it was still too much. Sango and Miroku's children's children, and their children were there for him, but they weren't pack. Once Rin died, it had severed the last remaining connection he had with that place. It was then that a gust of wind from the south hit him, and with it, the scent of her reiki.

He knew it couldn't possibly be Kagome. She was human, and would have died not long after Sango and Miroku, but he needed to see for his own eyes. He needed to meet the human female that carried the scent that was so similar—if not a bit darker—than the girl he had once called "mother".

There was never any proof that Kagome had died. She and Inuyasha had disappeared after Kagome had made her wish, and the jewel had disappeared along with them. Any number of things could have happened to them. The woman he was chasing after, she could be Inuyasha and Kagome's child, and maybe that's why it didn't smell exactly like Kagome. Maybe the darkness within the scent was that of Inuyasha's blood—demon blood.

He didn't care one way or the other. He just wanted to find something— _someone!_ Rin's death had been hard, but the day Sesshomaru erected that headstone with Kagome's name on it… Shippo had fallen into a dark place that day. Maybe he was being stupid, and running off like he had would lead him to nothing but heartbreak. But, he couldn't stop. Not now. Maybe not ever. He just wanted someone from his original pack next to him once again.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Staring at her reflection in the placid pool she'd discovered, Kagome traced the jagged scar just under her left eye. She normally tried to hide it with her white hair, the black having disappeared after a traumatizing event that _none_ of them ever talked about.

But, this was the first time she'd ever seen her face clearly. The ocean had never been calm long enough for her to get a good look at herself. A frown marred the young face looking back at her. Kagome wanted to ask Inuyasha about the time when she…hadn't been herself, but when she did, his eyes would turn completely red. It took Akinlana to calm him down. She would lead him somewhere far away to sex him up.

If only she had someone to sex her up… She did, but talking about him—just _thinking_ about him—was a major no, no. She knew it was bad, but she couldn't help it. Sometimes she could hear him whispering to her, begging her to tell him where she was. She was no longer under his control, but if she slipped…if she wasn't on guard twenty-four seven…

She couldn't even feel rage against the things he had done to her. The magic he'd used on her, to make her think she wanted to be with him, was too powerful. It dispelled any wrathful thoughts she wanted to have about him. She could still feel it just under her skin. That delicious caress trying to seduce her into giving up her location.

Kagome had failed to mention all this to Inuyasha. What could he do anyway? Not that she didn't have faith in her best friend, but there really wasn't anything he could do, that he hadn't already tried to do. Both he and Akinlana.

Still, even though her lover had turned out to be a complete nightmare, she missed the weight of a man covering her body. The feel of a pair of strong arms around her. She may have been under a spell, and it may have all been fake, but she had felt safe. Maybe that was why she'd been suckered by him so successfully. Safety was the one thing she and Inuyasha hadn't had in a long time. If it hadn't been for that prick trying to kill her two best buds, she wouldn't have found the strength to disobey him, rescue Inuyasha and Akinlana, and escape into the sea.

"How long does it take to get water?"

"I didn't know how long you and Akinlana were going to take," Kagome said. However, instead of laughing, blushing, or giving her the same ol' chauvinistic boast about his 'prowess' in the sack, Inuyasha squatted next to her and looked at her reflection.

"It took us a long time to get here," Inuyasha finally said.

Uncomfortable at how intently he stared at her image in the water, Kagome shattered the smooth surface by dipping the waterskin in the pool.

"I know. I was with you, remember?" Kagome smiled.

"Not always. We both lost it for a while," Inuyasha replied.

 _Lost it_ was mildly putting how they'd both went insane. He'd gone completely demonic—so much so that the subjection beads had snapped—and then she'd become consumed in his insanity. Considering the foes they'd been fighting against, the both of them going crazy is what had kept them alive.

All the things they had done… If they had been sane, they would have died. Inuyasha would not have found his true mate—his love for Akinlana rivaled the love he had for Kikiyo—, and she wouldn't have grown as strong as she had. And not just physically, but mentally as well. What amazed her was that they hadn't tried to kill each other. Not when they'd been out of their minds. Not even when she'd gotten powerful enough to take him head-on when he pissed her off.

"Do you think the well still works?" Kagome asked, changing the subject. She wouldn't be surprised if it didn't. The only reason she'd been able to come to the past was because of that damn jewel.

Kagome's eyes narrowed when Inuyasha stood and took a few steps away from her, and slightly turned his body. Something he only did when he was about to say or do something he knew would piss her off. It was what Kagome called his "speak and flee" stance. If he still had his puppy ears, they would have been flat against his skull.

"What, Inuyasha?"

"We're not going to the village first," Inuyasha said.

Kagome slowly stood, making Inuyasha take a larger step backwards. "Why?" she asked.

"You're getting mad at me, and I haven't said anything yet," Inuyasha said.

"I'm not mad," Kagome calmly replied.

"Yes, you are!" a voice called out from above.

Kagome glanced upward. Between the branches and leaves, Akinlana's beautiful face grinned down at her.

"Your claws have punctured the waterskin," Akinlana said, pointing.

Kagome released the skin, water from the punctured holes splashed against her leather pants on its way down.

"I want to go to the Western Lands before heading off to the village," Inuyasha said.

Kagome watched as Akinlana and Inuyasha shared a glance—a 'we need to team up' glance.

"I need to talk to Sesshomaru. He probably thinks we're dead," Inuyasha said.

"And I wanna meet him," Akinlana added.

"We need him. I know he has my sword."

"I want him to acknowledge Inuyasha."

"I want him to know Akinlana's my mate, and—"

"You want to know if he can 'fix' me," Kagome said. She would have laughed at the guilty and sheepish expressions on their faces if she hadn't been so pissed.

"Maybe," Inuyasha mumbled.

"You can't fix this," Kagome said, moving her clawed hands around her body and fanged mouth.

"Maybe," Inuyasha stubbornly replied again. "And even if he can't, that's not the only problem we have, and you know it."

"Listen to him, Kagome," Akinlana said. "We won't know if we don't try."

Kagome took a deep calming breath, then another and another until she could think pass her anger. The well would always be there. The main reason why she wanted to rush back was to see if Shippo stayed in the village. If anything, Sesshomaru might have her kit's location.

"Fine," Kagome said. "Let's go see Sesshomaru."

Kagome opened her mouth to lay down a few ground rules about what Inuyasha could and could not reveal to Sesshomaru, when she felt an aura she hadn't felt in a long time. Tears welling up in her eyes, Kagome whispered, "Shippo."

Ignoring Inuyasha's shouts for her to stop, Kagome took off as fast as she could into the forest.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Shippo slashed his claws, ablaze with fox-fire, across the mid-level demon's chest. The grotesque monster roared in pain and rage as the blue flames boiled its blood, and cauterized its wounds.

He gagged at the stench of burnt hair and flesh, the smell threatening to overwhelm his scenes. And he needed every skill and trick he had—magical or not—if he wanted to get out of this mess, because he screwed up big time.

He lost the female's scent and had panicked. In his desperation to _maybe_ capture her attention, he'd sent a blast out—an explosion of his youki. Expanding it out as far as he could stretch it. Hoping she'd feel him and respond…

Well, he got a response, just not the one he wanted, but should have kept foremost in his mind.

After taking him into his pack, Sesshomaru had stamped his scent into him, so much so, that the only way a demon would know he was a fox, was if he showed them his tails. He didn't mind smelling like an inu. It came with _many_ perks. However, it also came with as many, if not more, downsides. Like, everyone outside the Western Lands trying to kill him, thinking he was a silver inu, and Sesshomaru's heir.

He always knew silver inu were feared, which was why so many tried to kill Inuyasha and _attempted_ to harm Sesshomaru. He never knew just how _much_ they were feared until Sesshomaru took him in. Which was more than three quarters of the demon population. However, those demons feared Sesshomaru's wrath too much to act, and the remaining demons that did think to take his lord on…

Well, they were either ignorant, arrogant, or just plain stupid.

And those dead-demons-walking that weren't stupid were members of the 'higher class'. Demons that moved in the same power circles as Sesshomaru and Mama Aimee, Sesshomaru's mother. Mama Aimee was another Daiyokai you did not want to mess with. Unlike Sesshomaru, she liked to 'play' with her prey.

"You're gonna die, _dog_."

Shippo sighed. Damn, but this demon was an idiot. He had all six of his red tails fanned out behind him, and yet the demon still thought he was a dog.

"Can you not talk? You make me feel like I'm getting stupid with every word you say." That, and he was pretty sure Sesshomaru was close to finding him. He was a couple days late in returning. Sesshomaru would be looking for him. The last thing he wanted was his mentor, and alpha, to see him in this messed up state. Wounded and bloody. His clothes ripped and muddy.

His only praise worthy accomplishment would probably be that he had not unsheathed his blade. But, it wasn't that he didn't want to use his sword, but because he couldn't control the power it contained without Sesshomaru next to him.

Upon 'adopting' him, Sesshomaru had located the remains of his mother and father, took their fangs, then commissioned Totosai to fashion a short sword for him. The combination of his parents shockingly powerful and wild yoki nearly overwhelmed him the first time he wielded it. And it would have, if Sesshomaru hadn't forced it into submission with unprecedented ease.

"Scared, little dog?"

Demons laughed at their leader's joke behind Shippo.

"I'm not a dog, asshole. Use your eyes more, and your nose less." Shippo couldn't help but taunt the large, ten-foot tall demon. He was hoping to confuse them—it didn't seem that hard to do, considering how stupid they were—, stalling them from completely ganging up on him.

He had fought off fifteen of them already. Using all his tricks before resorting to hand-to-hand combat, and the remaining yoki he had left, he used half to charge his claws with fox-fire and the other half he transferred into his legs just in case he had to make a run for it…which he probably did.

Because, besides the three demons behind him, and their leader trying to kill him in front of him, he could feel more demons waiting in the woods. He could feel the powerful auras of six others and a scatter of lesser, bottom-feeding demons. But it was the six he worried about, and that was six too many. He was already tired, hurt, and at his limit. He was still too young to fight so many at once.

He'd killed ten of them with a large blast of fox-fire, the next three with speed and agility, and the last two he had crushed with strength and power meant to intimidate and send the rest running… Yeah, that didn't work out quite as he had planned. His display had only pushed the other demons to test their strength against his.

If he couldn't run, he would have to admit defeat and bow his head, and shamefully call out to 'papa' Sesshomaru to come save him. If these bastards killed him, the nagging lecture he'd have to suffer through after Sesshomaru revived him…

He'd never live it down—getting defeated—or get any freedom out from under the Daiyokai's watchful eye.

"Let's get this over with," Shippo said, beckoning the demons to him with bloodied claws. If he did die, he could only hope they didn't eat him…or, too much of him. Sesshomaru would be doubly pissed if he had to retrieve pieces of him from the demons' guts.

The demons spread out around him. Slowly tightening the circle and closing in on him, attacking all at once.

 _"_ _Shippo."_

Dodging a few blows, Shippo thought he heard someone call his name, but it wasn't until the second shout that he realized who it was. There was no mistaking that voice, even after so long. Kagome.

"Kagom—" A burst of light, that was what Shippo saw. The pain he felt later, after he flew a few feet and a tree helpfully stopped his flight, and he slammed into the ground.

"Shippo!"

Blinking the stars away, Shippo dizzily tried to get to his feet. The six demons hiding in the woods came pouring out, and over a dozen mindless youkai—much more than he had thought had been out there.

"Run," Shippo rasped to the white-haired, leather clad female that landed in the small clearing as he struggled to his feet. It wasn't Kagome… But still, there were too many demons for her to fight. They'd kill her. The six demons were more powerful than the ones he was fighting. And _way_ more powerful than the ones he had killed.

Shippo gasped in pain once he got to his feet, stumbling slightly. Whoever had send him flying had also scored a hit. Four jagged claw marks ran across his ribs. Blood flowed freely down his side.

A frightening snarl from the female pierced the air, startling Shippo. She wasted no time in eliminating the demons closest to him. Their hot blood sprayed across her chest and face as she tore through them with her claws.

The female paused in her carnage. Her blue eyes glanced over his wound and grew brighter, wilder.

"Kagome?" Shippo called out softly in confusion. There was no way that this female could be his old friend, it had been over a hundred years. Even with the blood dripping down her chin from the throat she'd just tore out with her fangs, and the chests she'd ripped to shreds with her claws …her face was the mirror image of the human girl he once knew.

"Kagome?" Shippo called out again. But, before the female could respond, the remaining demons attacked. Leaping into the air, the female was about to meet them head-on when a red blur slammed into her, sending her barreling through the forest, knocking several small trees down in her wake.

Shippo screamed Kagome's name. Hot rage dampened his pain. His fangs and claws lengthened as his beast fought to be released—to eliminate the one who harmed the female. But, when his reddening eyes turned to the demon responsible, Shippo could only stutter, "I-Inuyasha?"

"Yo." The _not_ half-demon gave him a cocky middle finger salute before down-right murdering fifteen demons in less time that it took for Shippo to blink. Another female—inu, from the smell of her—dashed off into the forest, chasing the demons that had escaped Inuyasha's slaughter.

 _"_ _Inuyasha!"_

Shippo watch, dropped-jawed, as the white-haired female reappeared. Sideswiping Inuyasha's legs out from under him, she proceeded to grind his head into the dirt with her boot. Until Inuyasha shoved her foot off him, and he scrambled to his feet.

He watched their childish antics—them pushing and shoving one another—for a while before whispering, "Is that really you?"

"You got big, twerp," Inuyasha said, his voice slightly muffled as Kagome had him in a headlock. Twisting out of her hold, Inuyasha moved out of her reach.

"So, it is you?" Shippo could hardly work the words up his throat and out of his mouth, overwhelmed as he was with emotion.

Inuyasha grinned. "Who else would we be?"

In his heart, he wanted it to be true. But, his eyes and nose were having trouble believing it. They resembled Inuyasha and Kagome greatly, but, at the same time they didn't. The Inuyasha in front of him was a full-blooded demon, and the female…she wasn't human. They both had a wild, untamed scent to them. Dangerous. Deadly. But they also still smelled like his friends.

"It's us, Shippo."

Heart clenched, Shippo stepped forward, but stopped when Inuyasha held his arm out to keep Kagome from moving towards him. Shippo was about to ask him why he was stopping her when he felt it.

"We need to leave," Shippo said, frantically looking around. "We need to go _now!_ "

The urgency in his voice put Inuyasha and Kagome on edge, but the lack of a threat left them confused. But, Shippo could feel Sesshomaru, feel the presence of his alpha's aura speeding to their location.

Shippo quickly glanced down at his rapidly healing wound. His blood pooled at his feet. His lord must have been close enough to have smelt his blood, and was coming. With the number of corpses covering the ground, Shippo feared the stench of death would cover Inuyasha and Kagome's scent.

Sesshomaru's temper being what it was, Shippo knew his lord tended to ask questions _after_ decapitating his enemies.

Shippo rushed to Inuyasha and Kagome's side, thinking he had enough time to grab their arms and escape. However, his hopes were dashed when a ball of light slammed into the earth between them, sending them flying.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The first thing Sesshomaru did once he landed was look at Shippo's wounds to determine the extent of his injuries. Finding the kit whole, and his wounds nearly healed, he surveyed the small blood soaked clearing and the carnage around Shippo.

He had felt the large burst of yoki Shippo had first emitted and had delayed his arrival. The kit knew not to do something so foolish in enemy territory. So, he had stayed back and allowed the kit to reap what he sowed. Some lessons needed to be carved into bone.

However, the second he felt the two new, near nonexistent auras appear, and then the rapid disappearance of _all_ the other youkai around Shippo, he raced to the kit's side. He had not, however, expected to find this. Nor did he expect the burst of joy he felt in his heart.

"You have returned, little brother," he said, studying Inuyasha. Learning what he could with the information his eyes and nose told him. While his nose told him, his brother stood before him, his eyes saw a full-blooded demon. His scent was not that of a half-breed, either, not completely. He had grown, too. Still shorter than he, but taller nonetheless.

"Yeah, took us a long-ass time to get back, but we made it."

"You have much to tell," Sesshomaru said, narrowing his eyes. His words an order more than a request.

"After I get patched up?" Shippo said, limping his way over to his side.

"Your wounds have closed. The bleeding stopped," Sesshomaru said, not taking his eyes off Inuyasha. "You will clean up the mess your carelessness created before washing away the shame of your battle."

"Yes, sir," the kit mumbled.

"When did the two of you get all chummy?" Inuyasha asked.

Sesshomaru ignored the question, he walked closer to his brother and tried to get a closer look at the female huddling behind Inuyasha's back. However, he could smell her. And yet, instead of asking how the miko could still be alive—the words he had meant to say—what came out of his mouth was, "You mated the miko." Disappointment coloring each of his words.

Other scents clouded around the miko, but Inuyasha's mated scent overpowered all the others. He was not disappointed that Inuyasha mated a human, he had long past done away such petty views, but that the miko had mated Inuyasha. She could have done much better than his brother.

And the anger he expertly concealed… He understood why he felt the emotion and accepted it. He just had to make sure he didn't lash out and take his anger out on the couple in front of him. He had known they would be together… He had known from the start. It didn't stop the rage, though.

"Ah." Inuyasha scratched the back of his head. "There's a story to that."

Sesshomaru moved closer and sniffed, drew back sharply, then leaned forward again and inhaled deeply. His eyes immediately bled-red.

"I can explain!" Inuyasha shouted when Sesshomaru snarled, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him up against a tree.

"Have you not learned from our father's mistake?!" Out of the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru saw another female appear. Her scent identifying her as Inuyasha's second mate.

"It's not like that!" Kagome shouted, but the surprisingly white-haired miko did not come any closer to him—did not try to stop him like she had done many times in the past.

"He's mine, not hers!" Inuyasha's other mate said, rushing forward to help, but Sesshomaru held the female back easily with his yoki.

"I didn't take her as my mate," Inuyasha rasped, trying to break his grip. "But, I had to mark her as mine."

"As did I," the second mate said. Both she and Kagome moved as close as they could to give Inuyasha their support.

Releasing Inuyasha, after slamming his brother against the tree one last time, Sesshomaru said, "You will remove your claims from her immediately."

"We can't," Inuyasha said, rubbing his throat. "My mate, Akinlana, and I agreed to this. It's for Kagome's protection."

"Protection she no longer needs," Sesshomaru informed him. "You are home, and thus under my rule. What she needs, and what type of protection she requires is the decision of her alpha. _Me_."

Dismissing the foolish couple, Sesshomaru focused his attention on the miko. And he was… _displeased_ with what he saw. Holding out his hand, he beckoned her forward. "Come, miko."

Kagome stared at Sesshomaru's hand like it was a snake about to strike, and, in the first time in decades, looked at Inuyasha for help—for him to rescue her. But the dratted dog only motioned her forward with his hands, and mouthing the words 'move your ass' when she didn't comply.

"Miko."

Kagome stood frozen, her body refusing to get any closer than it already was to the great demon. And he was great, there was no arguing that point. She could taste and feel the oppressing strength of Sesshomaru's power. It saturated everything—marked everything and everyone that stood around him. It made Kagome realize how utterly stupid she'd been in the past for standing up to him, and how lenient he'd been for her ignorance, and her arrogance in assuming they were equal in anyway.

 _"_ _Miko,"_ Sesshomaru said again, his tone less than pleased by her lack of movement.

Kagome remembered once getting angry that Inuyasha's brother didn't show her respect by calling, or remembering, her name. Now… Now she was happy he didn't know it.

"I do not wish to come to you," Kagome said, proud that her voice held firm.

Elegantly shaped brows lifted. "Afraid of me, are you?"

"No." She wasn't afraid, she was terrified. She'd always believed Sesshomaru was as cold as the ice prince Inuyasha named him to be, but that was far from the truth. There was a raging inferno within the Daiyokai. She could _see it_ churning inside him. Bright, angry, and hot. She didn't want that savage beast hiding within him anywhere near her.

 _"_ _Come,"_ Sesshomaru commanded, flashing his large fangs.

With no help from Akinlana, Shippo, or Inuyasha, and knowing she wouldn't make it very far if she ran, Kagome forced her feet to take the necessary steps to stand in front of the tall demon.

She stared at his chest, and gave herself a small pat on the shoulder when she didn't flinch as Sesshomaru's sharply clawed hand grabbed her chin. He tilted her face up, forcing her to look up at him.

Kagome gulped as he moved his hand from her chin down to her throat, applying pressure under her jaw until her head turned, and her neck was completely bare to his gaze. Her panic rose as he leaned in so close that she could feel the heat of his breath against her skin.

"The stench of your shame has corrupted hers," Sesshomaru told Inuyasha.

"Is that why she smells so…dark?" Shippo said next to Inuyasha and Akinlana.

Kagome fidgeted as Sesshomaru's yoki poked at her. She knew he could feel it—the shield under her skin that she'd layered within herself after he had freaked out about Inuyasha's mating scent. She didn't want him to discover the brand her old lover/nightmare had seared into her soul.

"No…there is something else." Sesshomaru turned her head to face him again. "Drop your shield."

Kagome refused, even as the wild yoki in the Dai aggressively tried to force her compliance.

"I don't know you," Kagome said, trying to push Sesshomaru's hand away. "We were allies once, but Naraku is dead, which means our alliance is, too. You say you're our alpha, but I haven't—"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha hissed. "Shut the fuck up, and do as he says."

"No." Kagome glared at Inuyasha, trying to tell him without words that doing so would be a bad idea, and why. Thankfully, they'd been together so long that that was enough to convey her message. Inuyasha wisely shut his mouth.

"Still more bravery than sense, little human," Sesshomaru said, releasing her from his grip.

Kagome backed up immediately, putting as much distance she could between them without insulting the Dai. However, she didn't move fast enough. Sesshomaru grabbed her wrist and pulled her to his side, and didn't let go.

"Come. We will leave this place."

Kagome tried to dig her heels in, but her pitiful attempt was nothing. Sesshomaru merely dragged her along.

Why was he doing this?


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Sesshomaru knew that his hold on the miko was improper, even if he was her alpha. And yet, the stench of Inuyasha and his female's mating scent on her—in her—brought out a side of him he'd never experienced before.

There was rage, yes, for the fact that his half-wit of a brother took two mates. Silver inus mated once, taking another mate when their partner died was rare. Just as it was rare for a silver inu to mate for a second time when their other mate was still alive.

Their father was a clear example of such a scandalous occurrence. Demons of their breed were known for their faithfulness and loyalty. Sesshomaru would have thought his brother would have learned from their father's mistake, but, clearly, he thought too much of Inuyasha's intelligence.

Then there was the outrage of her changed appearance. She looked different—not just because of her hair color, her claws, or her fangs. It was the look in her eyes. They were less… _innocent_ and hopeful than when he had last seen her.

There was a new strength within her that he approved of, but at what cost had his foolish brother subjected the miko to, for her to gain it?

"Can you let me go?"

Sesshomaru glanced at her over his shoulder. "You fear me. Why now and not before?"

"Before… I saw you, but I didn't _see_ you. I knew you, but I didn't _know_ you and what you could be capable of," the miko said.

"And what are you now capable of?" Sesshomaru asked.

"More than I thought possible," she softly replied.

"Which would be?" However, his question was met with silence. A bit surprising, considering the human girl he remembered used to talk non-stop. Her differences were not the only ones he noticed.

Inuyasha's outward pure-bred appearance was curious, as was the scent of his more dominant demon blood.

Before, his merely being a yard away from the miko would have sent Inuyasha into a rage. Now, however, his brother was calm, controlled…

And having been barred from witnessing to how both his brother and the miko came to be this way greatly annoyed him. He wanted to know everything. Where they went. What they did. Who they saw. Not knowing was unacceptable.

Kagome stared up at Sesshomaru. She could literally _see_ his annoyance, confusion, and rage over… whatever the hell he was thinking in his head. A swirling kaleidoscope of violent colors crashed around him.

Could she only see this? Inuyasha never commented about it, and, although her memories of him were dim, she didn't remember Miroku saying anything about Sesshomaru's wildly clashing aura, either.

She could hear Akinlana and Inuyasha muttering behind her, but knew they weren't going to do anything about Sesshomaru's hold on her.

Inuyasha had _willingly_ submitted to Sesshomaru. Publicly—using Shippo, Akinlana, and her as his witnesses—announcing that Sesshomaru was his alpha when he did nothing to object to Sesshomaru's claim over all of them.

Dumbass.

They knew nothing about the Daiyokai. He was Inuyasha's brother, the lord of the Westernland, and he'd once been their ally, that was all.

Yeah, sure, the fact that he hadn't murdered Inuyasha was a good sign, but by giving up his alpha status, Inuyasha had essentially agreed that Sesshomaru could run _all_ their lives anyway he saw fit.

She would have never agreed to this. Not in a million years. She'd only agreed to meet Sesshomaru for Inuyasha's sake. This just goes to show what happens when she listened to one of Inu's stupid ideas.

Kagome had a bad feeling about all of this. A really bad feeling.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sesshomaru finally released her hand after deciding she'd obediently follow him. Walking behind a male put Kagome's teeth on edge, but she did it. Not because of the sheer amount of raw, overwhelming power that she could feel in the Daiyokai, but because it gave her the freedom to look around.

They'd been away for so long…

Everything seemed so different and strange. She and Inuyasha had talked and dreamed about returning, and yet… it felt as if she didn't belong here anymore. She had changed so much, seen so many wonderful and horrifying things, that the innocent beauty of her homeland failed to meet up to her overly fantasized memory of the wonderment she'd feel once she came back.

They'd been back for only a day, but Inuyasha had kept them on a tight leash, not allowing anyone to wander around and explore. But, they'd been too tired to do anything other than sleep and eat to argue about his overprotectiveness.

"You have changed."

Kagome's attention snapped to Sesshomaru. He had not turned around, but she could sense that she had his complete attention, and it was unnerving.

"I'm human," Kagome said. "Humans change quickly."

"That is not the change I speak of," Sesshomaru said.

"Did you think I would stay the same?" Kagome said. A touch of bitterness laced within each of her words.

"Inuyasha may think I do not know how many years we've been gone," Kagome said, "but I know."

"And why would you not know?" Sesshomaru asked. His tone never changed—never hinted even a bit of curiosity in wanting to know her answer. He sounded cold and disinterested. If Kagome had been the naïve girl she had been, she would have been convinced that that was true.

But she wasn't that girl anymore.

Hell, Kagome could barely remember the girl she used to be. Yet, she remembered Sesshomaru. Had always been aware of him, and with the 'gifts' she now possessed, she could hear a subtle, _very subtle_ , tone within Sesshomaru's deep timbered voice. He was more than just interested in what she had to say. A lot more.

"Shit happened," Kagome muttered. Not sure what to tell Sesshomaru. Not sure what Inuyasha would want her to tell him.

"Is this 'shit' the reason why your scent is the way it is now?"

Kagome knew he wasn't talking about Akinlana and Inuyasha's mating scent mixed with hers. She'd been relieved when Sesshomaru had called her "little human". To now say something was wrong with how she smelled…well, hell.

"Not going to answer me?" The Daiyokai's bored tone helped to still Kagome's old fears.

"It's not that I won't answer you, but that I have no answer to give you," Kagome said. She was lying, of course. She could give Sesshomaru a blow-by-blow of how Inuyasha and she became the way they were now. She just didn't trust—

"You don't trust me," Sesshomaru said.

Kagome's eyes widened. She'd controlled her heartbeat, her breathing, her tone. He shouldn't have known she lied to him.

"Your _lack_ of an emotional response is how I knew you were not speaking the truth. Always remember to give just a little, if you are trying to deceive a Daiyokai of my strength."

Kagome glanced over her shoulder

"My half-wit of a brother will not help you."

"I can see that." Stupid Inuyasha.

From the distance Inuyasha put between them, the damn dog was making it clear that she was on her own with his brother.

"You ran home," Sesshomaru said.

"As fast as we could," Kagome said. "The jewel tossed us to the other side of the worl—"

"I did not ask a question, miko, but stated a fact." Sesshomaru stopped and looked over his shoulder, pinning her with his sharp gaze. "What are you running from?"


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Kagome froze. She didn't dare glance back at Inuyasha. She was on her own. The moment that damn dog submitted to Sesshomaru, she knew she'd have to tell him. She just didn't think it would be a mere twenty minutes after being reunited.

But, just because he had grasped the edge of her current nightmare, didn't mean Sesshomaru needed to know all the details. Like he said, she didn't trust him. But she still needed to tell him something.

"Not a what," Kagome slowly said, "but a who."

Sesshomaru faced forward and began walking again. "I find it difficult to believe Inuyasha or you would have a problem with a singular person or demon. The both of you have grown respectively strong. You especially."

Kagome's face heated at the compliment. She shouldn't have been pleased, but getting praise of any kind from Sesshomaru? Even if he were her enemy and she hated him from the very depths of her soul, she still would have been proud of the acknowledgement he gave of her accomplishment.

"Like I said, the jewel tossed us to the other side of the world," Kagome said, following him. "We met demons. A lot of strange and powerful demons."

So many demons…

"There are parts of this great big world where humans have never stepped a foot on."—not in this time— "No mikos to keep the balance. Sometimes, no Daiyokai to enforce law," Kagome said. "Naraku… Naraku, as evil and as tricky as he was, he played by a set of rules—his rules, but rules nonetheless. He was nothing compared to the evil we encountered."

Inuyasha and she barely had time to get their bearings when they 'landed', before they'd been attacked by strange demons—foreign demons with foreign powers.

They had nearly died that first day.

"Inuyasha didn't have his sword. He had it in his hand when we wished the jewel away, but he didn't have it when we 'reappeared'."

"I have it," Sesshomaru said. "It's safe."

"Is it—"

Kagome snapped her mouth shut at Sesshomaru's soft growl. It was low, unthreatening, but still a warning. He was making it clear that a change of topic was not an option.

She sighed but obeyed his unspoken order.

"Without his sword, Inuyasha's demonic blood overwhelmed him almost instantly. He saved us by going 'wild'."

"'Going wild' would not have altered his appearance or scent," Sesshomaru said.

"What if not a second went by that he wasn't being attacked? What if it wasn't days or months, but years before we were left alone long enough for his demonic blood to calm?"

Kagome's heart began to race as she relived those early days.

"What if every time you've proven you're the top predator in one territory, you have to start from the bottom all over again when you enter a new one?"

She'd been painfully useless in those horrific, nightmarish days. Less than useless. Her power, strong, yes, but out of sync with the demons they had encountered. Her reiki as harmful as a bee sting. She'd been a mountain-sized weight hanging around Inuyasha's neck.

Inuyasha protected her weepy, pathetic ass when her psyche finally broke, and killed for her until her fragile human mind could accept her new reality. When that acceptance came… When the light finally clicked on and she'd been strong enough to face the world through sane eyes, she'd been standing on a hill of demon bodies, surrounded by a lake of blood.

Where she'd only gotten glimpses of the lives she'd taken, she now had the full picture. Complete control. And when she became mentally strong, she'd been unwilling to change back into the weak, frightened girl she had been.

Inuyasha and she had dominated—were unstoppable until… _he appeared._

"That may explain his appearance, but not yours."

Kagome fell deeper into her shattered memories, watched as they flashed before her eyes. Memories of Inuyasha dragging a claw across his wrist, blood gushing down her throat, his flesh grinding between her teeth and her swallowing it. A decade or two he'd fed her that way—not every day, she had memories of eating other things. Plants. Animals. Youkai…

"Miko."

However, Kagome was saved from having to answer when she heard Inuyasha chirp a bird-like whistle in warning. Kagome reacted without thought. Leaping into the air, she hid behind thick branches and leaves high up in the trees. Silently, she unsheathed her blades and watched as the threat drew closer.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Sesshomaru lifted a brow at Kagome, Inuyasha, and the other female's actions. He was impressed with the silence in which they moved. He could still see them—hidden as they were in the trees—, but he had been watching them.

Even their yoki and Kagome's reiki had disappeared expertly. He could sense them faintly on his own—the connection he had with them by becoming their alpha made his awareness of them stronger. Who knows if he would have paid them any attention if that connection hadn't existed.

"Where did they go?"

Sesshomaru glanced at Shippo. "Have you tried looking for them?"

" _Yes_ ," Shippo said. "I sent out my yoki, letting it soak into the ground and trees so it wouldn't be detected like I've been taught. I know that much."

Sesshomaru ignored the kit's attitude. "And?"

"And I still can't find them," the kit mumbled.

Sesshomaru wasn't surprised. Shippo was still considerably young. The level Inuyasha, his mate, and Kagome were at, to think a fox demon of only a hundred and five would find them was unrealistic. Even if he was the kit's teacher.

"What did you find?" Sesshomaru said.

"I… I didn't have enough yoki to do a complete search," Shippo said, bowing his head.

Sesshomaru frowned. The kit knew better than to deplete his energy so foolishly.

"I would have run away," Shippo said softly. "But, I _needed_ to know if it was her."

Sesshomaru would have done the same—kept fighting, kept hunting until he found her, too.

But…

He wasn't a fledgling demon. He was the rare product of two powerful Daiyokai and rose to the title of a Dai at an unprecedented age of two hundred. And after creating his own sword from his body with just the shear amount of his power alone, he had surpassed his father _and_ mother.

It had been a bittersweet moment.

"I understand the need you must have felt," Sesshomaru said, surprising the kit. "However,"—the kit groaned— "it is clear I have been too lenient with you—given you too much freedom, and not trained you enough."

Sesshomaru could see the kit was waiting to hear what his punishment would be, but he stayed silent and allowed the kit to worry. He concentrated more on the four distinct yoki racing toward him—that had been racing straight to him for the past hour. And it had been perfectly clear why his old/new packmates had taken to the trees.

Predators laying in wait… Hunters sitting tight so their prey could get close enough, so they could pounce.

Sesshomaru made no move to inform his three warriors and 'secretary', that they were in potential danger. He wanted to see if his men would sense them—see if demons of their age and power would notice them.

He watched his men suddenly appear through the trees. When they were twenty feet away from him, Inuyasha struck first, answering his silent question.

Landing behind the two warriors trailing behind, his brother knocked them unconscious and leapt back up into the trees, taking them with him, all without making a sound.

Next came the other female, and just as silently as Inuyasha, wisped the third warrior away without his secretary, Masa, none the wiser. And when Masa was five feet away, he was rewarded for his wait. Kagome, silently landing behind Masa. Her strange, wickedly curved blades at Masa's neck and at his main artery at his upper thigh before the demon knew what happened.

Sesshomaru's lips curved at Masa's bewildered expression, his amusement clear, until…

"You smell nice," she huskily purred in his secretary's ear. "I may just take a bite out of you."

A savage snarl filled the forest, and his fangs elongated at the sight before him. However, the foolish miko merely glared at him over Masa's shoulder and stayed where she was.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Kagome locked her knees to keep herself standing and from knocking against each other. She was used to demons roaring at her—enjoyed roaring back at them, too—, but Sesshomaru wasn't just any ordinary demon. Not even _he_ had made her want to kneel in fear and submission, just the opposite.

But she held firm. Didn't give in to the voice screaming in her head for her to run. A Daiyokai's wrath—Sesshomaru's wrath was something she _did not_ want to take on.

"What the fuck did you do?" Inuyasha hissed, appearing next to her. Akinlana flanked him, and they both tossed the unconscious demons to the side.

"I didn't do anything," Kagome said under her breath, as if speaking above a whisper would set Sesshomaru off more than he already had.

Blazing red eyes glared at her, and a quick glance noted the acid dripping from the Dai's claws.

"Obviously you fucking did something."

"Shut up," Kagome hissed, her mind racing on how to get herself out of this mess. The decision was taken out of her hand, however, when the Daiyokai moved. And, boy, could Sesshomaru move.

She could barely trace him—didn't have time to move and dive out of striking distance before he caught her, ripping her away from the demon.

Kagome found herself locked in Sesshomaru's arms, her back flushed against his chest. Her blades lay a foot away from her, out of her reach. She could call them back to her—powered by a returning spell she'd learned in her travels. But, from the volcanic rumbling behind her, Kagome wisely left them where they were.

And then…they stood there. They just stood there. Kagome had half expected to be bleeding on the ground by now, but, nope. Sesshomaru held her tightly and continued to grumble in a very dog-like manner.

However, when she turned her head, because Inuyasha began bullying the demon she'd been forced to release, Sesshomaru's arms tightened around her. He growled warningly in her hair.

She quickly looked away, and Sesshomaru settled down. She found Shippo in front of her—fifteen feet away.

"Submit!" the kit hissed, tilting his head sideways repeatedly like an insane bobblehead.

Kagome knew what she needed to do, Shippo didn't have to tell her. She'd played this stupid little game with Inuyasha and other male demons more times than there were numbers to count. And she never submitted. Never.

But, again, the decision was taken from her when Sesshomaru forcefully shoved her head to the side, and painfully chomped down on her neck. Sesshomaru released her just as quickly, though, when Inuyasha and Akinlana's mating 'mark' lashed out in outrage at the Dai's violation.

Whatever spell Sesshomaru had been under broke, and he stood a foot away, eyes clear and pristine and composed as always. As if he hadn't just gone all ape-shit on her.

Kagome edged further away from him, touching her neck and breathing a sigh of relief when her hand came back wet, but not bloody.

Because her blood didn't taste…normal. _When_ Sesshomaru got the full truth out of her or Inuyasha—and the Dai made it _very_ clear he wanted to know—, she didn't know how he'd react. He'd gone nuts learning Inuyasha and Akinlana had included her in their mating. There was no telling just how pissed he'd become, once he learned just how connected she was to _him._ Best to keep it a secret for as long as she could.

"No need to get pissed, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said. "Kagome wasn't gonna hurt him, and Aki and I didn't hurt those guys, either. We could smell they were your people."

"We were just playing," Akinlana said. "Just testing our skills against theirs."

Kagome flinched at the last part of Akinlana's apology. Not good—considering how fast the Dai's top blew—to announce how shitty Sesshomaru's men were at scanning their surroundings. They had taken them down in seconds.

"We were having a bit of fun," Kagome said. "We meant no harm to your men."

They'd known the moment they landed in the trees who those demons were. Sesshomaru's crescent moon crest were stitched into their leather armor.

Getting into an ambushing position was a kneejerk reaction. A hundred years of demons trying to kill you every day, reactions like theirs wouldn't disappear overnight. Kagome didn't think it would ever leave them, engraved as it was into their very bones already.

Kagome glanced at the demon she'd attacked. His yoki was greater than those of the other three, but his armor looked too new to make her believe he used it as it was meant to be used. A show piece, maybe? He had enough power to blast her away from him and get into a better position to attack or defend himself, but he had done neither.

So, why did Sesshomaru get so angry? She couldn't get a clue on what the Dai could be thinking. He was completely closed off. No swirls of his vibrant yoki whipping about. No expression—not that he ever gave any—to give her a hint. He'd even shielded his scent. Even when he gotten all growlly and bitey, not one of her senses detected the reason for his sudden outburst of rage.

What she didn't like the most, however, was how intently he was staring at her.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Sesshomaru listened to his brother and Kagome, even the other female, with half-an-ear, while he brought his raging emotions in check. The shock of Kagome's sexual comment to his secretary, he'd become so enraged that he reacted without thought. Masa should be lucky he had grabbed Kagome instead of him. Because, if he hadn't, his secretary would have been in pieces.

When he held Kagome in his arms, the disgusting scent of Inuyasha—the vile scent proclaiming she was his foolish brother's mate—only angered him further. And, again, he acted on instinct, letting his bestial nature take over.

The 'slap' he received for trespassing had been just enough for his rational side to resurface.

One thing was clear, though, he needed to get Inuyasha to withdraw his claim on her as soon as possible—Inuyasha and his mate. Until they did, he could not claim her as his own.

There was no sudden realization that he wanted Kagome as his mate. He'd always wanted her, desired her. There had been revulsion that he had such carnal desires for a human, but time had changed many things for him when she'd appeared. Rin being one of those reasons.

Before Rin and Kagome, he'd traveled the world. Every Inu roamed. He knew of the places Kagome spoke of, of the forests and deserts without a sign of humans ever having stepped foot on the land. He'd challenged and been challenged by many strong demons. But, he'd never experienced the things she had described.

He'd been a cocky youth. He'd been a Dai for nearly a hundred years at the time. Too strong to be attacked by weaker demons, and too powerful for other Dai's to want to take the chance in challenging him. Nothing he had experienced made him rethink his opinion on humans, and after his father's affair with Inuyasha's mother, his opinion on humans only got worse.

But, one day Kagome appeared and then Rin. In three short years his view on the fangless, clawless, short-lived, round-eared humans changed. Oh, he still found them annoying to many degrees, but he no longer hated them.

The Westernlands had many human villages, and he protected them as he would a demon village. He made sure they all knew who he was, and he made sure they knew what would happen if anyone decided to claim his land as their own. They had equal rights as long as they did not step out of line.

He hadn't noticed that he began doing this—treating humans with more care—, until after he became aware of the kindling of emotions he had for Kagome. But, he'd pushed all those feelings to the farthest corners of his mind.

She'd been in love with his brother. And, although his brother had an unholy love toward a walking abomination of a long-dead priestess, Inuyasha had also been in love with Kagome, too.

Despite the tragic love triangle, and how easy it would have been for him to steal Kagome's affection from Inuyasha, Sesshomaru would have never interfered. Because what was dead, was dead. The future was with the living, and, sooner or later, Inuyasha and Kagome would be together.

But, fate had different plans. The gods had decided that Inuyasha and Kagome would not be mates. So, there was no reason why he had to suppress his wants any longer.

"Yo, you gonna snap out of it or stare at Kagome all day?"

"You dare speak to lord Sesshomaru—"

"I can talk to my brother any way I fucking want. Are you related to Jaken?" Inuyasha said. "Like, his better-looking cousin or something?"

The demon sputtered in outrage.

"Where is Jaken?" Kagome said looking around.

"He was old when you met him, and Kappa do not have the same lifespan as other demons," Sesshomaru finally said. "He died a long time ago."

"Oh…" Kagome whispered.

"Come," Sesshomaru ordered, walking away. Shippo, the demons—newly awakened—, and Masa, followed quickly behind him. Kagome, the other female, and Inuyasha did not. He knew they would follow, so he allowed them to linger behind.

Kagome stared after Sesshomaru, her gaze sorrowful. She'd forgotten… She'd forgotten all about Jaken until Inuyasha said his name. She'd forgotten about the ones that had been under Sesshomaru's protection.

Rin.

Jaken.

She'd forgotten about them. Inuyasha had kept her memory of Sango, Miroku, and even Shippo alive by always talking about them. But, there had been no reason to talk about little Rin or Jaken. She couldn't even remember what any of them looked like. None of them.

Strange, though, she never forgot Sesshomaru.

And if Jaken was dead, then Rin…

"I swear, Kagome, you better not fuck my brother," Inuyasha hissed in her ear.

"What?!" Kagome gapped at Inuyasha, wondering what the hell was going on in that fool's brain. Behind him, Kagome heard Akinlana sigh.

"You fall for assholes like Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said.

"I do not—"

" _Yes_ ," Inuyasha interrupted, "you do. And I'm not talking about your last psychotic prick of a boyfriend. Thirty-two, Kagome. Thirty-fucking-two boyfriends, and all of your men have been what you called 'manly men'."

"I didn't sleep with all of them…" Kagome muttered. And even if she had, it was a speck of a number considering it's been a hundred or so years. After Inuyasha and she broke up, and before Akinlana, she'd caught him with his pants down dozens of times with strange women. Hell, she had to sit him down and give him 'the talk' about babies. It was a miracle he hadn't impregnated someone by now.

Inuyasha ignored her. "Powerful men who either wanted you for their mate, or they tried to kill you once they realized you were more powerful than they were."

Kagome couldn't really argue with that. All her ex-boyfriends had tried to kill her—even the ones that had proposed to her.

"It's not my fault they lacked the confidence to be in a relationship with a strong independent woman," Kagome said in her defense.

"No, it's not fair," Inuyasha agreed, surprising her. "Which is why I better not catch you in bed with my brother. You have a type, and Sesshomaru matches everything on your check list. He has the power, the confidence, and everything in-between."

"She does need to find comfort from someone," Akinlana said, finally entering the conversation. "You don't expect her to not have sex, right? Did you not say this island would be our home now? And, it would be better for her if she found someone to take care of her needs. Better for all of us."

The days of being embarrassed by talking about sex—who she was having sex with, wanted to sleep with, or what kind of kinky sex play she liked— had long passed. Plus, Akinlana was right. Back in the boat, it had been easy to not think about her carnal needs. They had so much to do just to keep from dying.

Being connected to Inuyasha and Akinlana didn't help matters, either. The couple's sex drive was outrageous and trickled down their bond to her. If Akinlana or Inuyasha went into heat… Well, it could be a fun time if she had a partner. But, if she didn't, it sucked bigtime. And dogs were _always_ in heat.

Now, however, there was no boat. There were men around and she was beginning to feel an 'itch'. Becoming sexually frustrated was not an option for her. The more her body had a need for a mans touch, the more open she was to _his_ influence.

And they had been on the boat for a very, _very_ long time.

Kagome cast a quick glance at the demon who smelled really nice. The group was nearly out of sight.

"Then find someone." Inuyasha turned and walked away, then spun back around on his heels, pointing a finger in Kagome's face, he hissed, "Do. Not. Fuck. My. Brother."

Kagome rolled her eyes, unaware of the seed Inuyasha unintentionally planted with his warning.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The trek to the west fared better than Kagome thought it would. Granted, Sesshomaru made them run while he cruised on his cloud with Shippo.

Still, Kagome was happy about the separation… and guilty at the relief she had felt when Sesshomaru took Shippo. She didn't know what to say to the fox. He had changed so much. He wasn't the little fox-demon that she remembered. Inuyasha comforted her, by giving her a wink and kneeling with his back facing her.

Just like old times, Kagome rode on Inuyasha's back in front, while Akinlana took guard in the back of the group. Did she need to travel on Inuyasha's back? No. She could keep pace with her demon friend no matter what speed he ran. She could jump just as high as he could, too.

No, they did this for entertainment, if not for a bit of nostalgia of the days that had gone by. Times when they were innocent of the horrors of the outside world. And, because they could hear Sesshomaru's warriors whispering about them. Wondering who she was. They knew who Inuyasha was. But, they couldn't tell by her scent if she was human or demon.

Hilariously, they concluded that she might be Sesshomaru's half-sister. They'd heard of The Dai having a half-human sibling, and Inuyasha no longer looking the part, they transferred his identity and their loathing onto her.

Kagome ignored them all. She didn't bother correcting them. No, the fun would begin once Sesshomaru heard them.

They traveled well into the night before Sesshomaru landed to make camp. She knew it wasn't because the Dai was tired, even though manifesting a cloud of yoki was essentially a mass of pure power.

No, Sesshomaru stopped because his warriors were ready to collapse. They had run all day trying to find the Dai, only to turn around to run back to the West without really stopping to rest.

"Why are we stopping?" Inuyasha said. "If they can't continue, leave them."

Kagome silently agreed. Not that she didn't sympathize with the exhausted demons, or because Inuyasha and she could, and have, run for a week straight without stopping. But, because Sesshomaru had said he may have information in his library about what was happening to her, when she had questioned why they were headed to his territory.

But, she didn't say a word. Sliding off Inuyasha's back, she walked into the surrounding forest to gather wood for a campfire. Spying a fallen tree, she waved her hand. A dark-pink web fanned out, blanketing the dead tree, cutting into the thick wood until the tree fell apart into carriable chunks.

She didn't need the warmth or the light the fire would make, but she still made a campfire when it was safe to have one. The act made her feel human. But, after grabbing a few logs, Kagome knew she errored when she turned and saw the group of demons staring at her.

"Whatever," she mumbled, walking to the center of their little campground. Kneeling, she dropped her load next to Akinlana. The two of them circled the logs with large rocks, before Akinlana smiled sweetly at her, and, being a Fire Inu, lit the stack with the snap of her fingers.

"Inuyasha and I will survey the area. Make sure nothing pesky is lying in wait," Akinlana said standing, after giving Kagome a wink.

"Ah huh." Kagome rolled her eyes, but she didn't comment further. The two needed some alone time. Who was she to deny them that?

The wild inu kissed her on the forehead before scampering off.

"Kagome?"

She looked up from the flames and scooted over. An invitation for Shippo to come sit next to her. They sat side-by-side in awkward silence. She didn't know what to do. What to say. She should say something, right?

"Ah, were you with Sesshomaru this whole time?" she asked. "You two seemed really chummy."

Shippo shook his head. "I stayed in the village with Rin, Miroku, and Sango. But, after they all…"

"Died?" Kagome said, trying not to sound indifferent. After so many years, she couldn't help feeling a bit disconnected from her old friends. Not that she didn't care, but…there was no great impact being told they were, in fact, dead. In that sense, she was still human. Mankind was not meant to hold onto the pain of losing a loved one…

"Yeah… But, they lived a long life—longer than most humans," Shippo said. "They had a lot of kids—Miroku, you know? —and they were happy. Very happy."

"That's good," Kagome mumbled. She hoped Shippo wasn't going to suggest they go and visit Sango and Miroku's children… grandchildren? Might be great grandchildren now. While seeing them would be nice, she didn't know them. They were strangers to her.

"Sesshomaru took over Inuyasha's territory. He protected them and the village." Shippo smiled. "He protected the well, too…after I told him it was your way home, that you were from the future."

Kagome didn't care if Sesshomaru knew about her or not. "Do you know if it still works?"

Shippo shook his head. "The day the jewel was destroyed, the magic I could always feel coming from it disappeared. It's just a well now."

"Didn't think so…" She still wanted to see the well for herself, but she knew it was a long shot—it still working.

The jewel's power is what kept the doorway between the past and the present open. And, even though she ventured into the past, time still flowed forward. The future she knew would be the past. Her family would all be dead.

 _My family is dead._

Not a new concept. She and Inuyasha talked about _so many_ things in the hundred years they'd been together. Her family not being alive had been one of them.

But…

There had always been a secret part of her that held the belief that she'd go home one day. That the well was still working, and the gods hadn't completely turned their backs on her. That they would let her see her mother, her brother, and her grandfather again.

But, why would they?

How many times had she called out to them? How many times had she begged and pleaded for their help, and been met with nothing but pain and suffering?

"You… You've changed," Shippo said.

"And you really have grown," she said softly.

"You've been away for a long time," Shippo said. His words were spoken gently, but they had an inquisitive edge to them. Not quite accusative, but close.

"We didn't have a choice," Kagome said, unsure of how to talk to him. She'd been excited beyond measure when she'd seen him. But, the demon in front of her wasn't her little Shippo—wasn't the fox child she remembered.

He was handsome. Strong. Gone was the baby fat and rosy cheeks. His fingers were long and his claws sharp. His hands scarred from fights she hadn't seen. No more paws…

"I know," Shippo said.

 _His voice was so deep. A man's voice._

Kagome frowned. Her chest ached. She'd missed so much.

"Sesshomaru explained that the jewel had to have been the one to take you and Inuyasha away. It was the reason why you both disappeared."

Kagome sneaked a glance past Shippo, to the dark forest. Just out of reach of the fire's light, she could see Sesshomaru watching them. "He was right. We all knew the jewel was more than an object of power. Destroying it came at a price. I'm just glad Inuyasha and I were the ones who paid it."

"I would have only been in the way," Shippo said.

"You would have died," Kagome said bluntly. "Inuyasha and I, there had been so many times we thought we'd never see the next day. We wouldn't have been able to protect you."

Kagome awkwardly patted Shippo on the back. "Count yourself lucky you were left behind."

She glanced back in Sesshomaru's direction and shivered when his nightglow eyes shined back at her.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Sesshomaru listened in on the miko and kit's chat. He noted their lumbering attempts at conversation. The kit's hopeful desperation, and the miko's sad acceptance.

He had Shippo travel with him, because he knew the kit would overwhelm her with his questions. Shippo expected her to act the same, even though he had warned the kit not to. He may have viewed her to be like a second mother to him, but she had missed a hundred years of watching him grow into the adolescent male he was now.

When the miko suddenly stood and walked into the forest, Sesshomaru silently slipped away and followed her. Distress poured off her in waves. However, he did not step forward to comfort her. Doing so would only add to her emotional instability. She also would not welcome his condolence. She would not want him to see her as weak.

"What are ya doin'?"

Sesshomaru flicked a glance at the appearance of his brother. He, again, noted the sense of maturity Inuyasha gave in the relaxed way he carried himself, and the look in his eyes. Older eyes, wiser. There was no hostility in his question. No suspicion. Just genuine curiosity.

"Two hundred years of age when you disappeared," Sesshomaru said. "And yet, it took a mere hundred for you to finally grow up."

Inuyasha snorted softly. "I don't know about that."

"You agreed to come to the West—"

"I don't think you gave us a choice," Inuyasha muttered.

"—so I can remove the mating bond between you and Kagome," Sesshomaru finished, ignoring his brother's remark.

"We followed you for answers you might know about why Kagome is… Well, is the way she fucking is. Not to fucking break our mating bond," Inuyasha said. "Let me make myself clear, _brother._ I. Am. Not. Breaking. Our. Mating. Bond. Fuck you."

Other than the obscenities, Sesshomaru thought Inuyasha took what he said fairly well. But… "And I say unto you, _little_ brother, she will not be shamed by you. Do you think yokai society has forgotten about you? That Naraku's demise was a small thing? They remember you, and your faithlessness to commit to just one female."

"Our relationship is nothing like that," Inuyasha growled. "She's like a fucking sister to me."

Sesshomaru lifted his chin and looked down his nose at his brother. "She is no sister of mine."

Inuyasha stared at him for a long, annoying, minute before exhaling unnecessarily loud. "Shit. I'm thinking it's you I should have warned and not her," Inuyasha muttered. "But…no, impossible."

"Warned?"

"Nothing. Look, I didn't truly mate Kagome, because…you know, we'd have to 'do it' for there to be a bond. Aki and I…we just included her when we… There was no…" Inuyasha coughed into his fist, his face flushed.

Sesshomaru stiffened at what Inuyasha was implying. However, knowing his brother hadn't tainted the miko with his body made their bond less… _aggravating_.

"Anyway, she needs the bond. It protects her."

"You said something like this before," Sesshomaru said. "Why?"

"I can't—"

"You can, and you will," Sesshomaru demanded. He wanted to know. Not just wanted, but he _needed_ to know so he could use the information for his benefit. He planned on claiming her. If what Inuyasha said could make that happen, then he'd use it.

"You remember how Kagome's always had demons sniffing around her, right?"

"I'm aware," Sesshomaru said. He'd killed a few of her worthless admirers in the past. A great majority had been unknowns—demons that had stalked the miko in the shadows—, and a few that they had known.

"Well, someone marginally powerful came sniffing around her, shit happened that made it impossible for me to fight him without hurting her, and so we ran," Inuyasha said with a shrug.

Inuyasha thought he wasn't telling him anything important, but he said much while trying to be vague. A powerful demon wanted his miko, and he did something to her that forced Inuyasha to protect her with a mating bond. Yes, he could use that.

"If a mating bond is what is needed, then a mating bond is what she will get," Sesshomaru said.

Inuyasha stared at him again, before whispering, "Fuck."


End file.
